


kept busy

by elizabethelizabeth



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Ambassador Sokka (Avatar), Established Relationship, Kissing, M/M, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-31
Updated: 2020-07-31
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:22:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 925
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25625116
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/elizabethelizabeth/pseuds/elizabethelizabeth
Summary: Sokka's been the official ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe for ten years and keeps busier than Zuko himself, the man who's supposed to berunning a nation.
Relationships: Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 3
Kudos: 179
Collections: Kisses Bingo





	kept busy

**Author's Note:**

> atla fic? in the year of our lord 2020? it's more likely than you think.
> 
> the last time i wrote atla fic was literally over a decade ago what even is this year?
> 
> written for the prompt Deep Kisses for [Kiss Bingo](https://twitter.com/bingokisses)

Running a nation is exhausting, but Zuko hardly expected anything less. At this point, he's spent more time as Fire Lord than he ever did as prince, if his math is correct. If there's not a meeting, there's another meeting, and if there's not another meeting there is greeting dignitaries and overseeing legislature and presiding over _another_ banquet. He's busy, is the point.

So how is it that Sokka is _busier_?

The man runs on seemingly endless energy, and has ever since they were younger. Sokka takes more meetings in a day than Zuko does in a week, is always talking furtively and animatedly with some advisor or another, moves around the palace like an iguana-seal with its head cut off.

It's been...Zuko counts back in his head. More math. Sokka's been the official ambassador from the Southern Water Tribe for ten years (and the unofficial one for three years, due to the absolute _nightmare_ of political international relations after the 100-Years War ended. Southern Water Tribe economy and politics barely existed--spirits, its _people_ barely existed--and the need for a representative was flimsy at best) and keeps busier than Zuko himself, the man who's supposed to be _running a nation_.

Zuko _would_ ask Sokka about it over their daily lunch, but Sokka is inhaling rice at a rate that seems unsafe, and doesn't want to interrupt him. And it's a little endearing that he's trying to eat and read a scroll at the same time. He's got his metal-rimmed glasses on that Sokka hates (Zuko adores them) and squits at the words as if he's either having trouble reading them or having trouble believing what he's reading.

"There's--listen to this, this is ridiculous--there's an Earth Kingdom governor that's refusing to meet with Aang at the gala. What to know why?"

"I think you're going to tell me," Zuko replied in the few seconds it took for Sokka to finish the another mouthful and a half of food.

" _Apparently_ the taxes set by the Earth King in the wake of the war are too high, and he's blaming Aang for it, and refusing the invitation."

"I'm assuming this governor is aware that Aang has absolutely nothing to do with taxes set in the Earth Kingdom?"

"You'd _think_ government officials would be aware of their own damn economic system. On top of that, Aang isn't even going to _be_ at the gala." Sokka gathered up the scrolls and papers in a haphazard pile, and as he stood they threatened to drop with every movement. Before Sokka rushed out of the room, he made time to brush a kiss across Zuko's cheek. "I've got to go draft a letter to this idiot before my meeting with your head of finance starts. We'll catch up later?"

Zuko didn't understand it.

There was no reason for Sokka to be the busiest person in the palace. He arguably had the most cushy career in the world: hang out in the Fire Nation palace and make sure relations between the southern water tribe and the fire nation were healthy and thriving. (Sokka's other, unofficial title of Royal Consort was the perfect crossover to make sure the latter point was successfully accomplished.) Despite this, though, Sokka managed to constantly be busy, eluding Zuko's attention and making Zuko feel simultaneously confused and proud of how effortlessly Sokka fit in with the motion and movement of palace life.

That being said, Zuko wasn't satisfied with how their lunch had ended.

An hour later, he found Sokka, thankfully scroll-less, hurrying along the hallways of the western wing. So caught up in his own thoughts, he didn't notice Zuko until they were practically nose-to-nose. "Hey, what's--"

The words end in a yelp as Zuko takes Sokka's hand and drags him behind a tapestry of some great-great-great uncle of his (it'll be fine, he'll send an apologetic prayer to his ancestors later). They are comically ill-hidden beneath the fabric and the heat is stifling and it is, arguably, a terrible idea. Not every plan needed to be throughly vetted, though. Hadn't he said that once? Or something like it?

"Can I kiss you?" Zuko asks in a rush, all a part of his not-plan. "You've been so busy recently and I love that, but--"

"Aw," Sokka grins, sidling up closer and making the air between them even warmer. "Is the fire lord not getting enough attention?"

"You're impossible. I don't know why I love you."

Zuko had been expecting a list of Sokka's better attributes from the man himself, rattled off with increasing bravado and ridiculousness. Instead, Sokka's smile softens into something fonder. He pushes closer, close enough to finally kiss Zuko the way he'd been craving. Sokka tilts his face up to the touch, and Zuko takes his cheeks in hand to keep him still and here and present and _wonderful_. There is a tease of tongue when Zuko sighs in relief, but it doesn't go further. Not that it would have mattered. The kiss fulfilled and exceeded all expectations.

Sokka pulls away first. "While I'd love to stay, I have a--"

"Meeting," Zuko finishes for him, punctuated with another quick kiss. "I'll see you tonight?"

"Oh, I don't know." Sokka shrugs in mock reflection. "There's supposed to be a festival happening in town, I thought I'd check it out. Maybe wander around the mountains for a bit, get lost, arrive too late to see you--"

Sokka arrived late to his next meeting, apologetically citing how busy he found himself these days.


End file.
